A literary star emerges from countryside

The absurd as real

Writer Yan Lianke, who took up the pen for practical reasons, now finds inspiration in the philosophical.

Howard Frank Mosher finds storytelling compulsive

American writer Howard Frank Mosher says he can't resist a good story and it was this that led him to his latest and 10th novel.

Writing a new chapter for Chinese literature in the West

Chinese translators, college teachers, and writers are making concerted efforts to build bridges in order to give Chinese literature a stronger presence in the West.

As good as their words

A translator with an ear for both languages and the skill to move seamlessly between them is essential if a book is to be a success in another language.

The word from Shanghai

More than 50 authors from nearly 20 countries will gather in Shanghai and share their ideas about books and how they shape and enrich people's lives at the 8th Shanghai International Literary Festival, from Friday to March 21.

True accounts of life's many journeys

The mood is upbeat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing in the run-up to the third edition of the Australian Writers' Week (AWW) in China, due to run in Beijing and Chengdu, from March 8 to 14.

Books in action

Performance will be as much a part of the offerings as the printed word at The Bookworm's literary festival that begins on Friday.

Tony Blair's memoirs to be published in September

The memoirs of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will appear in September, the Random House publishing group announced on Thursday.

Palin to pen book on American values

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will come out with a new book that is a "celebration of American virtues and strengths," publisher HarperCollins announced on Thursday.

Surviving media jungle at Internet age

As part of China Daily's aggressive strategy to boost its presence at home and abroad, METRO Beijing has just been relaunched with significantly more pages and reporting.

Some hard-to-find books prove a tantalizing temptation

Playwright Shi Hang still gets a thrill when he finds hard-to-find books with provocative titles at street stalls - although the pirate copies are often too flawed to finish.